Type R Ship

The Type R ship is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for World War II refrigerated cargo ship, also called a reefer ship. The R type ship was used in World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and the Cold War. Type R ships were used to transport perishable commodities which require temperature-controlled transportation, such as fruit, meat, fish, vegetables, dairy products and other foods. The US Maritime Commission ordered 41 new refrigerated ships for the US Navy. Because of the difficulty of building refrigerated ships only two were delivered in 1944, and just 26 were delivered in 1945 and the remainder in 1946–48. The 41 R type ships were built in four groups. Two of design types were modified type C1 ships and two were modified type C2 ships. The United Fruit Company operated many of the R type ships in World War II. The type R2-S-BV1 became the US Navy ''Alstede''-class stores ship and the type R1-M-AV3 became the US Navy ''Adria''-class stores ship.

Ships in type

R2-S-BV1

R2-S-BV1 ''Alstede''-class stores ship, , built by Moore Dry Dock Company of Oakland, California in 1945. Used carrying frozen meat to Allied forces in World War II. Hull is close to C2-SU type ships. Displacement: 6,319 t.(lt), length: , beam: , draft: , speed: max., crew complement: 64, propulsion: cross-compound turbines, single propeller.
* SS ''Matchless'' renamed in 1952
* SS ''Flying Dragon'' Scrapped 1974
* SS ''Ocean Chief'' renamed in 1946
* SS ''Fleetwood'' renamed in 1961
* SS ''Contest'' Scrapped 1973
* SS ''Golden Rocket'' renamed in 1946
* SS ''Golden Eagle'' renamed sunk as a target on 24 July 1997

R2-ST-AU1

R2-ST-AU1 , built by Gulf Shipbuilding Corporation in Chickasaw, Alabama in 1945–1946. Also had accommodations for twelve passengers in six cabins. Owned by the United Mail Steamship Company. Ships were operated by United Fruit Company / Great White Fleet.
* SS ''Fra Berlanga'' scrapped 1971
* SS ''San Jose'' scrapped 1976
* SS ''Limon'' later sold to NV Caribbean Shipping of Rotterdam and renamed SS ''Talamanca'', scrapped in 1977
* SS ''Esparta'' scrapped 1977
* SS ''Junior'' scrapped 1975
* SS ''Comayagua'' scrapped 1975

R1-M-AV3

R1-M-AV3 ''Adria''-class ship, , built by Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc. in Beaumont, Texas in 1944–1945, Hull was close to a type C1-M-AV1. Specs: max, length: , beam: , draught: , diesel engine, single screw, .
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* Sold in 1972 became fish factory ship
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* Sold in 1966 became fish factory ship
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* SS ''Flemish Bend'' renamed
* SS ''Whale Knot'' renamed
* SS ''Wall and Crown'' renamed
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* SS ''Stevedore Knot ''renamed
* Sold in 1972 became fish factory ship
* Sold in 1967 became fish factory ship

R2-ST-AU1

R2-ST-AU1 , built by Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia in 1947. Twin screw with two geared turbines, max. speed of . Also called a banana boat. Length , beam: , depth: , draught: and Refrigerated: . Owner and operator United Fruit Steamship Corporation Inc., New York, New York.
* SS ''Parismina'' Scrapped 1977
* SS ''Heredia'' renamed SS ''Tanamo'', Scrapped 1977
* SS ''Metapan'' Scrapped 1977

R1-S-DH1

R1-S-DH1 ''Yaque'' class. , built Bethlehem Steel Sparrows Point, Maryland in 1947–1948, Engine: De Laval Turbine Company Inc., Trenton, New Jersey, , , Length: , derricks 9, winches 8. For United Fruit Company, Inc., New York, New York. Used to move tropical fruit and vegetables during war. Smallest of the R ships. Also had a few passenger cabins.
* SS ''Yaque'' Scrapped 1972
* SS ''Cibao'' Scrapped 1975
* SS ''Quisqueya'' Scrapped 1975
* SS ''Santo Cerro'' renamed SS ''Castilla'' 1969, Scrapped 1975
* SS ''Sixaola'' Scrapped 1978
* SS ''Tivives'' Scrapped 1968
* SS ''Hibueras'' Scrapped 1972
* SS ''Ulua'' Scrapped 1972
* SS ''Morazan'' Scrapped 1976

Notable incidents

*SS ''Matchless'', a R2-S-BV1, sold to the United States Navy in 1952 and renamed . She was sold and renamed ''Aleutian Monarch'' in 1979 as a fish factory ship. She caught fire, burning for five days and was scuttled on 12 November 1981 off Unalaska Island, Alaska.

Other World War reefers

* Due to the lack of refrigerated cargo ships, World War One and other refrigerated cargo ships were used for World War Two. The s were six United Fruit passenger and refrigerated cargo liners built in 1931–33 that the United States Maritime Commission requisitioned in 1941–42 for the war. The six ships requisitioned were: USS ''Antigua'', , , , and . ''Antigua'', although requisitioned, was never commissioned into the Navy.
* Also requisitioned from the United Fruit Company was SS ''Ulua''; which became . It was the last of the United Fruit Company reefer ships to be taken over for the war; near the end of April 1943 in San Francisco.
* The Danish reefer ships of the J. Lauritzen A/S shipping company seized in U.S. ports after Germany occupied Denmark: ''Australian Reefer'' (), ''African Reefer'' () and ''Maria'' ().
* The company Concrete Ship Constructors Shipyard, in National City, California, built three concrete ships with reefer space. The three ships hulls, 45, 46 and 47 were completed with reefer capacity.

See also

* Victory ships
* Liberty ship
* Type C1 ship
* Type C2 ship
* Type C3 ship
* United States Merchant Marine Academy
* List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

References

External links

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Ship types
World War II merchant ships of the United States